


Explanations 5

by AerynB



Series: Bridging the Gaps [6]
Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: and the Heart of Darkness, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 07:12:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3318677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerynB/pseuds/AerynB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scenes for the episode, "The Librarians and the Heart of Darkness." How'd they get this ley line mission? How did the House of Refuge work? How did Cassandra save the day?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Very Odd Case

**Author's Note:**

> beta-ed by [justlook3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/justlook3/pseuds/justlook3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very very short (barely a drabble) scene showing how Cassandra and Jenkins discovered they had a ley line problem.

"This isn't good, is it?"

"No, Miss Cillian," Jenkins looked up from the readings on the monitor and back to the multidimensional ley line maps on his worktable. "This most certainly is _not_  good."

Cassandra moved easily around Jenkins lab, pulling out a few magical items. "What do you think? The Native American totems or the Zou Yan scrolls?"

Jenkins thought for a moment and pointed. "The scrolls, definitely. They should stabilize the magical energy and anchor the ley lines."

Cassandra nodded and helped Jenkins gather the maps they'd need on their trip.

 


	2. A Deathly Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How exactly did Cassandra beat Katie? (I've rewatched this a bunch of times, and I'm still not sure if this is the right answer.)
> 
> And a little bit of team fun/sweetness at the end.

They'd been cruising through the Slovakian forest at a decent 20 mph for about four hours. The sun had set nearly an hour ago, and Cassandra figured she ought to stop driving. It wasn't too risky for her to drive, but she'd already proven to all of them that she could carry her own weight so to speak, so anything more was just tempting fate.

"You mind if I ask how exactly you managed to win today?" Ezekiel asked from the passenger side.

Cassandra glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed Jake's eyes perk up slightly at the question.

"Okay." She carefully slowed the truck to a stop and turned to Ezekiel. "Your turn now."

"What? Just for me asking what happened back there?"

"No. Because it's been four hours and it's really better if my mind is only doing one thing at a time. If you wanna know what happened, I probably shouldn't be driving or a stray memory might send us into a ditch or something."

"Fine. Fantastic." Ezekiel grumbled as he got out of the truck and walked around to the driver's side. "The fun nighttime driving through the woods with very few signs or street lamps. Awesome."

"Oh, hush. Baird’s still resting."

Ezekiel got settled and buckled up, then continued on their trip back to Prague.

"So, me winning."

"Ugh, the smugness again."

Cassandra just smiled to herself. "Well, as I understand it, the House of Refuge has been around for centuries, granting wishes and helping people in need."

"Yeah, we figured that much out," Stone said from the backseat. "The different art on the walls were all peaceful until Katie's family arrived."

"Exactly," Cassandra said. "They were a family of killers, but Katie must have been the worst. And she made a wish. To be able to keep on killing forever, to be the Angel of Death." Cassandra shuddered involuntarily as she remembered creepy Katie. "She may have also made another wish. That the House would only grant her wishes."

"Naw, that can’t be right," Ezekiel chimed in. "I wished for games and snacks and stuff. All of it showed up."

Cassandra thought about that for a second. "Well, you were in the dollhouse when that happened. In a smaller version of what the House was supposed to be. You said you both were transported there by magic. And now we know it was to keep you safe from Katie."

"Well how come the House couldn't save all of her other victims? How come it was only able to save us?"

Cassandra muddled over that just as Stone spoke up somewhat excitedly. "The ley lines." Cassandra looked back and grinned, until she noticed Baird shift in her sleep. They all shut up long enough for her to settle back down on Stone's shoulder.

Then Cassandra nodded. "The House has always been magical, but with magic being drained from the world over time, it wasn't powerful enough to save itself from Katie, or save her victims. Not until it moved and landed on the broken ley lines. Once we stabilized them, maybe the House was able to get a power jolt. It was able to create the dollhouse as a safe haven within itself for all of you."

"Okay, that explains how it was able to grant my wishes, even if you think Katie only wanted it to grant _her_ wishes. But still, how were you able to kill that psycho? Don’t get me wrong. It was bloody brilliant. But of the four of us, you and I really don’t do 'punchy.'"

Hopefully the others wouldn't be able to see her blushing in the low light of the truck. "Well, I made a wish too."

"Uh-unh," Ezekiel blurted out. "You said the House was only allowed to grant Katie's wishes."

"Not Katie's wishes," Jake mumbled. "The Angel of Death's wishes." Cassandra looked back at him and realized he was starting to get it. "She wished to be the Angel of Death, and then wished that only her wishes, the Angel of Death's wishes, would be granted."

Cassandra nodded again, slowly, really not wanting to admit this next part.

"But when the House saw you, it found a loophole, didn’t it?"

"Huh?"

"Because of your tumor," he kept going, ignoring Ezekiel, "because you've been living with a death sentence for half your life."

Cassandra cleared her throat and continued. "Yeah, I'm also, um, an Angel of Death, I guess. And when I wished to be able to help my friends, the crate hammer appeared in my hand. I think it surprised Katie more than anything, and well, I just kinda slashed at her and she turned to ash." She smiled weakly. "End of story."

"Geez, you are brave," Ezekiel said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Music. I need music." He reached for the radio dial and found something with a beat. Both Cassandra and Stone shushed him and Cassandra found the button to turn the volume down in the back seat.

"Seriously, guys, mama Baird is out for the count. She can’t hear us."

"Wanna bet?" Baird opened her eyes and looked directly at Ezekiel through the rearview mirror.

He straightened up and cleared his throat. "Uh, sorry. We'll keep it down."

"It's okay." She sighed uncomfortably and adjusted her position on Stone's shoulder. "Oh. And thanks, Cassandra," she waited for Cassandra to turn around, "for saving all of us."

They just smiled at one another and Baird went back to resting.

* * *

A few hours later Cassandra noticed that Jake was still trying to stay awake in the backseat.

"You really should try to get some sleep. You'll have to take the 1 a.m. shift after Ezekiel."

"It's okay," he said through a yawn. "I'll be fine."

"Stone." Cassandra hoped she looked stern enough. "Stop worrying. I'll be a good copilot and keep Ezekiel awake and on the road."

"I'm sitting right here, you know."

Cassandra rolled her eyes and looked back at Jake. "Just try to get some rest, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

Later on, when it was time to switch drivers again, Ezekiel climbed into the backseat and reluctantly let Baird lean on his shoulder. Jacob got in the driver's seat just as Ezekiel clicked a selfie of Baird sleeping on him.

"Never gonna let her live this down." He smirked as he put his phone away.

"You know we're gonna snap a picture of you now when you end up falling asleep and leaning on her," Jacob threatened. It probably would've sounded more sincere if Cassandra hadn't giggled at the end.

Either way, Ezekiel looked appropriately worried and deleted the offending picture from his phone.

"Just so you know, mate, it's not that I'm scared of you. I just realize Baird could have me imprisoned at Gitmo for something like this, so... No harm, no foul, right?"

Jacob just grinned.

* * *

"Hey, Cassie? You don't need to stay awake anymore if you're tired. I got this."

It was an hour and a half into Jacob's shift and Jones had already passed out behind them.

"I'm alri--" Then she yawned rather spectacularly. They both laughed a little. "Hmm. That was embarrassing."

"Nah. You just need to listen to your body and get some sleep. I don't need a navigator for this part. We just stay on this rutty dirt road for another 50 or 60 miles."

"Well..."

"I'll need you more when we get nearer to the city and have to find the rental place."

"Yeah, okay." Cassandra leaned the seat back a little then folded her jacket into a pillow. "Just wake me up when you need me."

"Will do."

Jacob glanced back in the rearview mirror to make sure Jones was still sleeping.

"Listen, before I forget. You, uh... you did good. Back in the house. And I'm, well... I'm sorry for, you know, taking you... um, taking your strengths for granted."

He stole a glance over at Cassandra when she didn't immediately say anything.

"Thanks. That means a lot. From you."

Jacob shivered a little 'cause he knew what she meant. "You're welcome. So, um, I'll let you sleep now."

She yawned again and closed her eyes. It only took ten minutes before he heard her softly snoring.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: “Mama Baird” is not mine. I don’t remember who coined the phrase or where I saw it, but it is a perfect description of Ezekiel’s relationship with Baird and so I am stealing it. It may not be canon, but it sure as hell should be ‘fanon,’ it’s just that good!


	3. Nobody Likes Being Coddled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [justlook3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/justlook3/pseuds/justlook3) suggested wanting to see Baird apologize to Cassandra for her over overprotective behavior. I had something small in the last chapter, but I found a way to incorporate Cassandra's spark of magic and some pity vs. trust issues to explore. Hope this works.

"I'm fine. Really," Eve was telling Cassandra. "You don't have to tuck me in."

They'd all gotten back to the Annex around midnight and Eve had insisted on driving home. Stone argued, but Eve just kept on insisting that she was fine. As it was so late, Cassandra rode with her, instead of her bike, back to their apartment.

"Sorry. Guess no one really likes being coddled."

She started to turn away and leave the room when Eve called her back. "Cassandra. Come on back." She sat up and motioned for Cassandra to sit on the bed. This wasn't going to be quick and easy. "I'm the one who should be apologizing," Eve said. "I'm kind of embarrassed that you all had to take care of me on the ride back. That's why I'm so cranky, but I _am_ sorry. I shouldn't have sidelined you yesterday-- or this morning-- whatever. I was just... scared. I don't like it when you guys are in danger of being killed. And well, the nosebleed you had earlier really threw me. It..."

"Reminded you that I'm sick."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. We work better as a team. Everyone looking out for everyone else. I need to remember that."

"Well, you weren't entirely wrong to be worried. The nosebleed was sort of...new. I've, uh..." Cassandra took a deep breath. "Okay. After Bremen, I was able to keep a small speck of magic."

"What?"

"I tried working with it on my own. I wanted to be able to shrink the tumor or make it go away, but it was frustrating. Nothing seemed to be working. So I finally went to Jenkins for help. He's been teaching me what he knows, not really to get rid of the tumor, but to understand magic's connections to math and all of its other complexities." She sighed out loud and blew some hair out of her eyes. "But it's slow."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Jenkins tell me?"

"Jenkins didn't really know about the bleeding, didn't know that I was pushing myself a little too hard." Cassandra stopped and wrung her hands together nervously. "And I didn't tell you because...I've always hated being pitied. I don't usually tell people about my tumor. If Flynn hadn't accidentally outed me, I probably wouldn't have said anything." She settled her hands and looked up at Eve. "But even though I hate being pitied, I'm starting to hate not being trusted more. I should've told you sooner, so it's not really your fault for trying to protect me yesterday. I overreacted." She sat up a little straighter then. "Not that I want you to keep being overprotective of me. I'm useful; I can handle this job. I want you to believe that."

Eve took just a moment and replied, "Well, as long as you keep working with Jenkins, and not try to do too much too soon. He's got to supervise."

Cassandra smiled back in thanks. "I will. Promise."

Eve smiled back too, glad to see Cassandra feeling better. _But..._ "Are you going to tell the others?"

Just as she thought, Cassandra's face fell. "I don't know. It's that whole pity versus trust thing." She looked up. "You're the leader, I should've told you from the beginning. But the guys... I just don't know. It's very... private."

"I get that," Eve said, "but having just been told, it does feel a little like a betrayal. I doubt Jones would mind, but Stone already has trust issues - god knows why. Keeping this from him could aggravate the problem."

Cassandra was quiet for a long time, then finally shrugged her shoulders. "I'll think about it."

Eve started to yawn, and even though she tried to stifle it, Cassandra noticed. They both looked at the bedside clock. It was a little after 1 a.m.

"Maybe we should let you sleep."

"Yeah, being tossed around that house and dragged up the stairs was not my idea of a good time." Eve lay back down on the bed as Cassandra got up to leave the room. "Hey," Eve called out to her. "We're good, right? I mean, better than before?"

Cassandra smiled back. "Yeah, we're good. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." Then she switched off the overhead light and closed the door. Mercifully, Eve closed her eyes and sank into her pillow. "This job is gonna kill me."


End file.
